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Duck Key (II)
Geographic Location
Located oceanside of U.S. Highway 1, at
approximately mile marker 61, between Long Key (I)
and Grassy Key (I).
Reference
Called by the Spanish Chinche - SP. "The Bug".
DeBrahm chart (1772) shows Reynolds Island.
Named Duck Kay on both Gauld (1775) and Blunt
(1846) charts, as well as in the 1799 Journal of
Andrew Ellicott.
A derrotero, or set of sailing directions
published in 1820 in Madrid has Cayo de Holandes
(SP. - Dutch Key)
Blunt's American Coast Pilot of 1842 has "Dutch
Key, or Cayo Holandes."
Scope Note
This key was the site of a salt manufacturing
operation in the 1820s & 1830s. Occupation of the
island ceased after the hurricane of 1935 and did
not resume until the key was connected to the
highway by a causeway in 1953.
J.W. Norie, in his Piloting Directions for the
Gulf of Florida, The Bahama Bank & Islands (1828)
states: "Duck Key - Some two miles long, low,
rocky, & covered with mangroves; some small
patches of good land with a little timber. This
island formerly saltworks but they were
transferred latterly to Key West, owned by Mr.
Howe, who is also possessor of this Key."
Hawk's Cay Resort is currently located here, and
the island is sometimes known by that name.
AKA
Historical name